


Tifa Lockhart: Protector

by sanctum_c



Series: Tifa Week 2019 [4]
Category: Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Costa del Sol (Compilation of FFVII), Friendship, Gen, Missing Scene, Misunderstandings, Monsters, Plants, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:07:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27588589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctum_c/pseuds/sanctum_c
Summary: Tifa comes to Aeris's aid in an ill-thought out moment in Costa del Sol. Sort of.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough & Tifa Lockhart
Series: Tifa Week 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2016010
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	Tifa Lockhart: Protector

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the prompt 'Friendship'

Even an hour into the break at Costa del Sol, and some of the stress and tension left Tifa’s shoulders. Sure, Hojo basking on the beach was even now one of the more hideous prospects she had encountered, but she could get past that. The blue sky, the hot, yellow sand, the crystal clear water. And- a stern-faced Aeris with a sarong around her waist heading away from the beach. Tifa broke away from the ice-cream stand to intercept. It took Aeris a moment to realise who was speaking.

“Tifa.” Her expression softened. “Sorry, I was-“ She smiled. “What’s up?”

“Just wondered where you were going?” Something had happened back there.

Aeris ducked her gaze. “It feels cliché or something, but I was going to look at the local flora.”

“Yeah?” Knowledge about Costa del Sol normally extended to sea and sand and sex. With some swimming and some sunbathing thrown in for good measure. Local wildlife and plant life was not something discussed all that often. “What kind of-“ Lot of sand around the town. Distant greenery – could Aeris be intending to walk so far? What kind of flowers were here? Flowers in amongst sand seemed incongruous. Weird sensation when she had lived for so many years seeing so few. Flowers on sand could hardly be more unlikely that flowers in Midgar. “Plants are they?”

“Cacti.”

Tifa moved in front of Aeris. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? I know they’re small, but I hear they can be devastating if you’re not prepared.” No bangle on Aeris’s arm. She was not holding her staff.

“They can?” Aeris frowned. “The book really didn’t give me that impression.”

What kind of book had she been reading? Aeris’s reading material from Midgar was by her own admission all old, out-dated and in many cases falling apart. “Aeris, it’s super risky. I haven’t heard any of them were so close to the town, but-“

“There’s one there?” Aeris pointed over Tifa’s shoulder. She whirled, assuming a fighting stance automatically. No materia, but she could keep Aeris safe enough to go for back-up and help and- Wait. Where was the catuar? The tall, prickly form of a cactus thrust up from the sand. Tifa faltered.

“What do we do?” Aeris whispered. Tifa smiled and was unable to help the laugh that followed. “Um? Tifa?”

“I thought you said cactuar.” It took some effort to get the words out. “Not cactus.” Hopefully no one but Aeris saw her square-off against a motionless plant like that.

“I said ‘Cacti’ but oh well.” Aeris sighed. “I take it, there’s no problem with me getting a cutting from that?”

Tifa shook her head, still shaking from her own mistake. “I’m sorry. I just-“ She gasped. “Should have known you weren’t quite that fool-hardy.”

“Well.” Aeris carried on towards the cactus. “I am terribly interested in seeing a cactuar now.”

“No one I’ve talked to who’s run across the things would recommend it. I bet Cloud has some experience-“ Aeris’s brighter expression vanished and she stalked towards the plant. “Okay, now after I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself. What happened?” Aeris said nothing. “Did Cloud do something?”

“No.” Aeris crouched beside the cactus, fingers carefully reaching for the stem in between them needles.

“Did he say something?” Aeris stayed quiet. Tifa knelt down beside her. “He did didn’t he?”

“The wrong thing.” She did not elaborate.

“Want to clarify at all?” Aeris shook her head. Not much to work on.

Aeris bit her lip and met Tifa's gaze. “Hojo... What he said, how dismissive he was...”

“That shook you up?”

“Yeah. And after I wanted to just forget him, but I couldn’t so I went back to the room. And Cloud came by and we ended up talking and-“ She sat back onto the sand. “-and he just dismissed my worries.” Aeris wrapped her arms around her stomach. “Said he didn’t think anything of it.” She shot a glare over her shoulder. “So I got out of there-“

“And came looking for cactuses-“ A blink. “Cactuarus?”

Aeris took pity. “Cacti.”

“Cacti.” Tifa rested her hand on Aeris’s shoulder. “Cloud’s said a lot of stupid stuff in his time. Hell he’s done a lot of stupid stuff since you’ve known him.”

“Free-falling onto a church is not exactly sensible.”

“Right.” Tifa grinned. “But he’s not someone who doesn’t care about other people.” An optimistic expression from Aeris. “I know he says he doesn’t and he tried to be distant but-“

“But he always gets involved. Doesn’t take much to get him to help out.” Aeris let out a deep breath.

“Better?”

“Better.” Aeris smiled. “Though we really should convince him to ditch the stern-SOLDIER act.” She cocked her head to one side. “Really doesn’t suit him.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“Did it ever?” The ground threatened to fall out from under Tifa. Out of nowhere another reminder.

“Not really.” Tifa forced a smile, and Aeris did not seem to notice anything suspicious about it. “Anyway. How are we taking this cutting? You got scissors somewhere in that outfit?”

Aeris blinked and glanced down. A bikini top, briefs and a sarong. Not a lot of hiding places. “I have made a critical error. Might have to come back for it later.” Tifa got up and held a hand out for Aeris. “Hey, can you swim?”

“I can?”

“Care to teach me?” Aeris took her hand and let Tifa pull her to her feet. Never had the chance before and the water looks so good.”

“I think we can sort something out.”


End file.
